Container



I March 20, 1934. WAKER 1,951,744

CONTAINER Filed April 28. 1933 INVENTOR. Herman 7149/ bud/Quad ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Application April 28, 1933, Serial No. 668,352

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in containers; and especially containers which are not adapted for further use after the contents have once been removed.

.5 An object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive container for individual small replaceable parts of mechanical and electrical apparatus, such as the fixed or stationary contact terminals used in circuit to breakers on magnetos and other ignition apparatus. Such terminals are provided with platinum -or tungsten points and are quite valuable.

The replacement of such terminals bearing contact points is therefore a source of profit to the is manufacturer of ignition apparatus; and the protection of ones product against competition and the frustration of attempts, often made by dealers and representatives of rival manufacturers, to palm off upon a customer a different and pergo; haps inferior article, is considered quite desirable by manufacturers of established reputation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container for so-called platinum and tungsten contact terminals capable of enveloping the article effectually; but of such a construction that it must be practically destroyed before the article can be taken out. To such a container the manufacturer of the terminal can attach in a permanent manner a tag bearing his name or 3o other trade-mark; or he can affix to the container in other ways the necessary indications by which the buyer can be fully assured that he is getting the article for which he asks. By designing the container so that it must be virtually broken and destroyed before the contact terminal can be taken out, the risk of substitution of the products of others for ones own product in trade is eliminated.

The objects and advantages of the invention 40 are set forth fully in the description and the novel features are pointed out in the appended claims. But the right is reserved to make any changes which do not exceed the scope or spirit of the claims or depart from the principle of the invention.

On the drawing:

Fig. l is a top View of a container with a terminal inside and having a tag attached; and

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

The same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

Contact terminals, invariably made of platinum or tungsten discs, brazed or welded to screws, rivets, interrupter levers or other formed sup- 55, ports, are sold at retail at sufiiciently high prices to make such terminals an item of importance in business. On the drawing such a contact terminal screw is illustrated inside of the container and usually comprises a shank 1 that may be threaded to enable it to be adjustably mounted in the circuit breaker, and near one extremity it is provided with a hexagonal collar 2 so that it can be easily turned by a tool. On this extremity is the platinum or tungsten point 3. Such articles are of standard form and appearance; and when they 65, are handled loosely in trade, an unscrupulous dealer can often deliver to a customer a contact terminal made by a producer who is not the one for whose article the customer asks. By enclosing this contact terminal in containers that are 7,0. property labeled, however, such substitution is rendered impossible because a tag permanently amxed to the container will always indicate to the customer that he is getting the true article.

A convenient form of the container is shown 75, at 4. It is made originally in the shape of a tube or shell, one end of which is rounded and closed and the other end open and of a little greater length than the contact terminal. After this contact terminal has been put inside of the container, 80,- the open end is collapsed and fastened shut by means of a convenient element, such as an eyelet rivet 5. Before the eyelet rivet is afiixed, one or more strips 6 of strong paper or thin cardboard are inserted into the open end of the container and made fast by the rivet when the latter is expanded to shut the open mouth or end of this container. The tab 6 will be printed or otherwise marked to indicate the original of the terminal.

The eyelet rivet may have an enlarged rim so that a trade-mark or other indication may be put on the surface thereof. The tab 6 is preferably a single strip of paper which is folded cross-wise about the middle and the folded portion is placed within the container.

The container will be only slightly longer than the contact terminal and the tab will extend into it until it almost meets the terminal, so that the terminal will have very little extra room in the container. When the customer asks for a plati- 10c num or tungsten contact terminal and desires a certain make, he can see at a glance from the descriptive matter on the tag whether or not he is getting what he wants or whether an article of another manufacturer is being delivered to him. Hence substitution of the products of other manufacturers cannot be accomplished. After buying a contact terminal in a container of this sort, the user must break or cut off the end of the container to get the contact screw out for use and thus the container is destroyed. Hence it is impractical for dealers in such articles to get these containers opened to substitute the terminals of other manufacturers, and then close such containers again. Such an attempt would mar the appearance of the container to such an extent that a buyer would know what had taken place and be Warned that the original contents of the container had been taken out and a different contact terminal inserted.

This container therefore is well adapted to protect a manufacturer and prevent deception of its customers by dealers who are interested only in selling the products of rivals.

The container can be very easily and cheaply made and preferably consists of a body having the form of an elongated cap, as shown, and of celluloid or some other flexible transparent material.

It will be understood of course that the contact terminal is usually too small in size and its construction further renders it unsuited to receive descriptive marks on any parts of its surface. Hence to protect ones product in this line a. cover or envelop of sufliciently large size to bear the necessary indications is required; and a container as above described serves the purpose very well because it not only enables the buyer to identify the article but also is so made that tampering therewith by removing the contents and substituting a different article is not feasible in the ordinary course of business.

Of course this invention is capable of being utilized in connection with any small manufactured article whenever the risk of substitution of a competing article is to be avoided.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A container for small articles, such as contact points, comprising a transparent elongated tubular body open at one end only, said body being flattened at said open end, an identification tab having one of its ends extending into the open end of the container, and a rivet for holding said open end of the container closed and for fastening the end of said tab to the container.

2. A container for small articles, such as contact points, comprising a transparent elongated tubular body open at one end only, said body being flattened at said open end, an identification tab folded intermediate its ends and the folded part extending into the open end of the container, and a rivet for holding said open end of the container closed and for fastening the end of said tab to the container.

HERMANN WAKER. 

